- Sunday Parkways, more money for parks and bike/pedestrian trails, and Portland's Bike Boxes are here!
BIKE BOXES are here. A “bike box” gives cyclists a legal place at the front of an intersection to wait for a green light. When the light is red, cyclists can wait in front of vehicles or turn right. Vehicles are required to stop behind the box and can no longer turn right on red, even if cyclists aren’t present. Bike boxes, as well as the bike lanes leading to them, are a brilliant green which shows up better than the old blue bike lanes. The goal is to eliminate “right hooks” where a motorist turns into the path of a cyclist in order to make a right turn. The plan is experimental and will be monitored by videotaping these intersections. Police will be monitoring these intersections as well. Billboards, signs on TriMet buses, and traffic signs will also be used to show motorists where to stop and where to yield to bicyclists.
There are 12 bike boxes planned with other intersections under study. At this writing, 3 have already been installed. They are:
SW Madison and SW 3rd Ave.
SE Hawthorne Blvd. and SE 7th Ave.
SE Hawthorne Blvd. and SE 11th Ave.
Also planned are NW Everett St. and NW 16th Ave., NW Broadway and NW Hoyt St., SW 14th Ave. and W. Burnside St., SW Broadway and SW Taylor St., SW Broadway and SW Jefferson St., SW Broadway and SW Clay St., SE 39th Ave. and SE Clinton St., SW 6th Ave. and SW Broadway, SW Terwilliger Blvd. and SW Taylors Ferry Rd.
And the difficult intersection of NE Broadway and N. Williams Ave. is being studied as well as the one at N Interstate and N Greeley where Brett Jarolimek was killed after a truck turned into his path.
SUNDAY PARKWAYS is coming to Portland June 22nd, 8-2pm. You will be able to walk, bike, skateboard, run, and roll on six miles of traffic-free streets in North Portland. Four parks will be connected-- Arbor Lodge, Peninsula, Unthank and Overlook. There will be music, activities (such as hula hooping, yoga, kids’ circus), and food. 300 volunteers are needed to monitor intersections, assist in parks, or lead a fun activity. You will get a Sunday Parkways t-shirt and snacks. There are several different shift times so you can volunteer and still be part of the event. To sign up go to Portland Online and click on the “Get Involved” link on the right.
The Transportation Options division of PDOT has just printed up 30,000 new CITY OF PORTLAND BIKE MAPS, including devoting a small section on the back to the city of Beaverton. The map, which is larger than before, lists more parks and side streets. Pick up your copy at a local bike event or bike shop.
In March, the Portland City Council unanimously adopted a new “system development charge” (SDC) package that will raise about $240 MILLION FOR PARKS, BIKE/PED TRAILS, and natural areas over the next 12 years. SDC’s are one-time fees assessed on new development, both commercial and residential, to cover a portion of the cost required to build specific types of public infrastructure required as a result of the development. 7.6% will go for trails. Local parks advocates estimate this will help purchase 15-22 miles of new trailways and also leverage state and federal funds to acquire and develop hundreds of acres of additional parklands and more trail lands.
Sharon Fekety, Community Liaison